In the article it states, “Draws upon exact replicas of already established and articulated music, coded into ones and zeros due to digital technology to recreate and narrate a different cultural reality“(p.308)

The juxtaposition of verious elements adds different meaning to the work therefore creating a new product that is distinctly different from its original materials. The idea of remaking songs is not new and can be seem in old standards such as “I’ve got you under my skin” by Frank Sinatra. This song was re-sung and redistributed by artists such as Dean Martin, Sammy Davis Junior and many others. The fundamental change that has occurs is how the copy right for these intellectual products are defined.

Vautour explains that, “Copy right once rested in the score… and not the performance… textual authority has shifted from the written score to the digital representation of ones and zeros.” (p.307)

The change in the mediascape from analogue to digital has altered the way consumers approach music. Todays digital technologies allow consumers to directly copy the music into digital editing softwares and use it in the exact form it was recorded. By drawing from a number of different elements and juxtaposing them together the consumer is now also able to produce new material.  This has created opportunities for consumers to defy regular practices of consumer/producer relationships.

Vautour writes, “Todays youth have found interesting ways to turn the consumption into production” (p.308)

This article shows how remix culture has developed due to the endless possibilities created by digital technologies. Such forms of  juxtaposition culture (Remix) have evolved through the changing of the mediascape into a digital world. It has effected the way music production companies perceive their intellectual property and how they define copyright, as well as braking down the boundaries between consumer and producers.

Yoni Rusnak

B. Vautour, 2006, ‘Remix Culture’, in S. R. Steinberg, P. Parmar, B. Richard (eds) ‘Contemporary youth culture: An international encyclopedia, Vol 2′, Greenwood Press, Westport, pp.306 – 309

“Today most composites are done on a computer, with the help of compositing software, and, if a print is required, eventually scanned onto the film negative. While composites don’t rely on the linear or temporal juxtaposition of shots—the domain of editing, per se—they nonetheless require the juxtaposition of elements taken from at least two separate shots.”

In ‘Digital editing and Montage: The Vanishing Celluloid and beyond’ the authors discuss how digital compositing technologies are used today to enhance movies. They state that the art form is not a new way of thinking about film but instead is used as a means to solve different technical difficulties.

“This is how cables holding actors during stunts are now removed from the image and replaced by different pixels giving the impression of continuous background for the action”

However digital composition does more then solve technical matters, its creates a level of realism which could otherwise not have been achieved. It allows for the juxtaposition of two of more images within the same spacial frame. While this practice has been in use for decades with the art of superimposing different layers of film, digital compositing allows for endless layers to be superimposed. The fundamental difference being that digital layers can be slowly blended to create realism.

In the 1988 film ‘Moonwalker’ footage of Michael Jackson dancing is juxtaposed with stop motion footage of a clay rabbit dancing, . The result was a harsh and unrealistic image of the two dancing together. It is clear that the image on the screen in not real. Contrary to this, the movie ‘Transformers’ released in 2008 used digital juxtaposition to create the robots and layer them with the footage of the actors. The two images were  layered and blended creating a smoother mix of the two images, giving the final result a more realistic aesthetic. This presents just one change within the mediascape as a result of digital technologies.

The essay discusses Eisenstien’s theories of montage in film and the way he explored all means of montage in an effort to evoke emotion.

“Yet Eisenstein’s many definitions of montage often alternate between formal considerations (the process of associating filmic elements, including, but not limited to, shots) and prescriptive-aesthetic ones (the principles by which given filmic elements ought to be associated in the hope of producing certain effects considered relevant within Eisenstein’s Marxist—and modernist—aesthetic, e.g. shock, pathos, ecstasy, imaginicity, organicity, etc.)

This view is central to the old theory of juxtaposition, that meaning can be created through juxtaposition of images However digital composition uses juxtaposition in a different way. The authors give the example of Gladiator to demonstrate their view on how digital composition furthers the believability of a film.

“The fight involves the gladiator fighting a champion while surrounded by tigers on chains. The fight has been fixed so that the tigers will attack and kill Maximus, so the crew needed to shoot tigers being very aggressive and ferocious right near the two fighters—but the tigers wouldn’t do that. They were trained tigers, not ferocious tigers so you had to entice them to jump aggressively. I knew what was needed from the storyboards and I knew I was not getting this from the dailies. I was struggling to put that scene together. I had to go to the special effects team and tell them that I needed a tiger to jump in a certain way and swipe with its paws. They said we could shoot the tiger behind a blue screen, cut it out and place it between the two fighters. So I went to the set with the stunt-coordinator and told them exactly what shots of the tiger I needed and from what angle. We had to be careful that these shots of the tiger would match the live action shots that I already had. The special effects (CGI) house than took all the elements, composited the tigers on to the shot with the actors, created new shots and gave them back to me to cut into the film. As with all composite effects, we fine-tuned for weeks and weeks—the shot going back and forth between the cutting room and the special effects house until we were happy.”

This quote shows how two images can be juxtaposed using digital compositing technologies to create fake realities that become believable to the viewers. Advances in technologies are allowing film makers to explore new avenues of film making. The star wars saga is a perfect example of how technologies have advanced the way films are made believable through the juxtaposition of real images and computer graphics. The gradual evolution of the mediascape and technologies within it have created a whole new way of exploring juxtaposition in media.

Yoni Rusnak

M. Lefebvre, M. Furstenau,2002, Digital editing and Montage: The Vanishing Celluloid and beyond, in Cimemas: Journal of Film Studies, Vol.13, n 1-2, autumn, p.69-107

Technology and Change in the Visual Language of Film

This article written by Margot Stuart-Smith, a fourth year media student at the University Of Sydney explores how digital compositing is changing the langauge of cinema. The author raises many interest points regarding the use of digital compositing in film. One point that resinated with the concept of juxtaposition is the evolution of editing in cinema. Stuart-Smith discusses the way in which film editing is in the process of evolving from temporal editing to spacial editing. Traditional temporal editing is based upon the juxtaposing of two images which occur in different times to create a continuity of time, hence creating a story or narrative.

“traditional editing techniques were developed to disguise the inherent discontinuity of editing, that is, to distract the viewer with narrative and cohesion from the fragmentary nature of the ‘shot cut shot’ construction of the film” (p.4)

Spacial editing, allows for the edits to be removed and instead create a single flowing image that edits through space rather then time.

“The term spatial editing refers to the way in which film shots that include elements composited from different sources can be thought of as editing, much in the way that splicing two shots together is referred to as temporal editing.” (p.4)

Stuart-Smith presents the example of Fight Club which uses spacial editing in a creative and interesting manner.

“where the image on the screen rushes from Edward Norton’s character on the top of a multi storey building to the inside of a van in the car park underneath” (p.5)

The ability to edit through space can only be attributed to the changing and evolving technologies in todays mediascape. Spatial editing relies on computer graphics which are designed with multiple layers. These layers are juxtaposed to create the final image which can exist in a 3D virtual world. This juxtaposition no longer seeks to create meaning through comparison as thought in the old theory of juxtaposition, but instead blends the layers to create seamless false realities in which the camera can appear to navigate.

“ in that they are often designed to blend in with the live action to the point where they cannot be distinguished.” (p.1)

This is another example of how juxtaposition has evolved within the media and how changing technologies are creating new possibilities to be explored.

Yoni Rusnak

M. Stuart-Smith,2007, Computer Graphics and Digital Compositing: Technology and change in the Visual Language of Film, in New Voices in Media Research: A journal for new research by university of sydney fourth year media students, Vol. 1, 3rd essay

Other juxtaposition cultures have surfaced such as mashups culture. Artists are now able to rework pre-existing songs and combine them to create new ones. This has the effect of creating new meaning. One artist that has become famous from such practices is DJ Earword. This style of creation has now become more mainstream and accepted within the music industry. Dj Earworm has been given assess to material from such famous bands as Maroon 5, who allowed him to completely remake any and all of there songs. This culture does whoever rase a question of copy right as most remix artists do not attain copy right for the materials used in there works. The changing mediascape has allowed for such cultures to become mainstream because of the endless possibilities available to anyone with a computer and an internet connection. Peer to peer file sharing has made these art forms assessable to everyone and anyone. This has cause the entertainment industry to rethink its copyright laws and also how they enforce them.

Over all the different juxtaposition cultures have thrived and grown with the changing mediascape and will continue to do so in a file sharing world where material to cut and paste stretches further then the farthest stars of our galaxy.

Yoni Rusnak

http://www.worth1000.com/contest.asp?contest_id=23726&display=photoshop, 09/09/09

http://djearworm.com/, 09/09/09

In this book Lev Manovich discusses the main difference between the old theory of juxtaposition and the new theory. He explores the different application of juxtaposition for visual effects and creating meaning.

The old theory looks to create meaning through contrast or comparison. By layering or placing the images side by side you are able to create something new, however both original elements are clearly visible in the new combination. Lev Manovich discribes this as the post modern aesthetic of the eighties.

“In post modern aesthetics of the eighties, historical references and media quotes are maintained as distinct elements; boundaries between elements are well defined” (Manovich, 55)

This type of juxtaposition can been traced back to the 1920 with the advent of montage cinema by Sergei Eisenstein and other experimental film makers, or photographers such as Man Ray and Lazio Moholy-Nagy who experimented with photographic techniques. Juxtaposition can be used as a tool to convey ideas and emotions. As is the case in Sergei Eisensteins film Strike where he juxtaposes civilians running from soldiers with the slaughtering of cows. By doing so he is creating the idea that the heards of people are being slaughtered like cows in a sloughter house. This is known as intellectual montage.

The new theory of juxtaposition does not seek to create meaning through the same means, and often does not create meaning but instead fake realities by blending multiple images or layers to create a new singular image.

“assembles together a number of elements to create a single seamless object” (Manovich, 52)

This is made possible by todays technologies which have evolved within the changing mediascape. Where once graphic designers used analogue tools to make alterations, now the industry has a plethora of digital tools at their finger tips to alter images. One example is Photoshop. This tool allows for almost endless alterations to photos and other images. By juxtaposing different images or effects to the original image and blending them through precis cutting, colour alterations, effects filters, and other image controls, graphic designers are able to create a whole new images different to the original, or similar but enhanced.

“An example of an operation which collapses elements into a single is the flatten image command in adobe Photoshop 5.0.“(Manovich, 52)

This control allows for the layers to be flattened creating a wholly new singular image from the original juxtaposition of the different layers. This is the bases for todays new juxtaposition aesthetic. Where the old theory has harsh differences between the images and used this to emphasize the difference to create meaning, the new theory seeks to blend the images/layers seamlessly.

“elements are now blended together and boundaries erased rather then emphasized” (Manovich, 55)

Through the changing mediascape both of the theories have evolved into fundamental elements in advertising and film, as well as other media industries. From before and after weight-loss photos to computer generated imagery (CGI) of todays blockbuster films. It is used to trigger thought in the case of satirical cartoons of George Bush and Osama Bin Ladin, entertain us through crazy and over the top special effects in films and even to sell us products through allowing the consumer to juxtapose images and sound creating a new commercial, as in the case of GM’s ad campaign. This campaign is particularly interesting as it shows the power juxtaposition can have. By using the same materials people were able to come up with a vast variety of commercials both positive and negative in connotation. The campaign also emphasizes the growth in accessibility to digital editing softwares and how it can be used as a marketing tool. This again is due to the changing mediascape and the expansion of digital technologies. Juxtaposition is a subtle tool that saturates todays media industries using images and sounds to create thought, emotion, or simply entertain as well as invent fake realities.

Next time you watch Television see if you can spot the juxtaposition…

Yoni Rusnak

L. Manovich,2001, ‘Compositing: From Image Streams to Modular Media’, In C. Gehman & S. Reinke (eds), The Sharpest Point: Animation at the End of Cinema, YYZ Books, pp. 49 – 72

The article written by Kendra Mayfield in Wired magazine “Every Montage tells Anther Story” discusses the evolution of juxtaposition in Media. It explores the new and old theories of juxtaposition in media. One interest example  of new juxtaposition given in the article is in the opening paragraph, where Mayfield proclaims:

“When Bill Clinton shook Cuban leader Fidel Castro’s hand at the United Nations, the New York Daily News was the only one of the city’s major publications to capture the first-ever meeting between a sitting United States president and Castro.

There was only one catch — the photo had never been taken.

Instead, the photo was actually a montage — a composite photograph of two pictures that were combined to illustrate a moment that reporters had witnessed but photographers hadn’t photographed.”

This is a perfect example of the new found power of juxtaposition in media. It shows how the new theory of juxtaposition tries to seamlessly blend two images to create a false reality.

With today’s technologies and digital photo editing softwares the media industry is able to manipulate any images available to them, to create new meaning, news and entertainment. This has become common place in today’s mediascape and viewers have become well aware of the manipulative power of the media. This has created viewers who are no longer passive viewers but must play an active roll in the understanding and filtering of images presented by the different media sources. Viewers must decide for themselves what they believe is fact and what is fiction, as the lines have become blurred to the point of no return.

The article goes on to talk about the new Photoshop culture.

“The homegrown art of Photoshopping has inspired legions of amateurs to doctor images with photo-imaging software, such as the infamous Tourist Guy next to the World Trade Center and the Bert is Evil Muppet juxtaposed with images of Osama bin Laden.”

In the past Digital alterations of images was highly expensive and only media moguls could afford the equipment to perform professional edits to photos. However today, with cheap programs such as Photoshop and even free softwares like picasa, any person with access to a computer can learn how to make professional alterations to photos. This culture has expanded through the use of the internet which has made underground superstars of ammeters with great talent for juxtaposition.

“Just as important as Photoshop to this revolution in digital montage is the spread of the Internet, which has provided a limitless supply of images for the taking.”

The Photoshop culture is interesting in the context of new and old Juxtaposition theory because it draws on both the old theory (juxtaposing two images to create new meaning through comparison or contrast) such as the ‘Tourist Guy’, as well as the new theory of creating fake realities through seamlessly blending the two images (such as the Clinton Photo).

This article ultimately gives a great insight into the field of Juxtaposition and uses a number of different reference to strengthen its argument.

An area that could have been explored further in the article is copyright infringements as this is becoming more and more relevant in todays peer to peer downloading society.

Yoni Rusnak

]]> http://mdia1001yonirusnak.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/new-era-of-juxtaposition/feed/ 0 yonestamaria http://mdia1001yonirusnak.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/a-brief-introduction/ http://mdia1001yonirusnak.wordpress.com/2009/09/01/a-brief-introduction/#comments Tue, 01 Sep 2009 03:16:47 +0000 yonirusnak http://mdia1001yonirusnak.wordpress.com/?p=6 ]]> PowerPoint

As stated below this blog is about how juxtaposition is used in Media today. Here is a power point that gives a general back ground in the Field of thought.

The powerpoint gives examples of the old and new theory of juxtaposition. Firstly by defining juxtaposition we can see how the original theory came about. through clear examples such as the weight loss before and after juxtaposition it is clear that it is a power tool for expression and representation of ideals.

Later posts will expand on the power point giving insight into the pictures used and how they represent the shifting theory of juxtaposition. How new technologies are affecting the way people use juxtaposition and even the availability of it to the general public. From the old days of cutting and pasting two pictures together, to the new digital society where photoshop has made the world of pictures questionable. From the simpler days of layering negatives to create special effect to today 3D world of composition softwares such as maya, after effects, shake, digital fusion etc… I hope you find this information both interesting and informative and again i welcome any contributions or comments

Yoni

All contributions are welcome and through this blog i hope to create an intellectual dialogue where we can further the analysis of these theories.

Yoni Rusnak

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